Worcestershire | Archive | 2005 | January
BUSINESS chiefs in Malvern are breaking open the bubbly after being given a £3.5m funding boost for innovation from the Department of Trade and Industry. more...
A KIDDERMINSTER boat builder is riding on the crest of a wave after receiving top honours at an award ceremony. more...
PEOPLE will be able to test out the latest business products in Worcester this month as office supplies store Staples holds a special event in the city. more...
HOMEOWNERS will be able to slash their mortgage bills as a price war is set to break out between lenders in the coming weeks. more...
WITH a General Election seemingly only months away, MPs are quietly positioning themselves for a scrap which will have long-term implications for all of them. more...
IF Worcester City start to play more like Premiership champions Arsenal in the coming weeks, Mike Foster might be able to explain. more...
THE Bishop of Worcester made a rare foray into political confrontation this week on the unlikeliest of topics. more...
THE Director-General of the BBC should hang his head in shame. more...
I AM in agreement with John Phillpott on the "misguided PC culture" and greatly admire our Mayor, Councillor Allah Ditta, for the example he has set (Phillpott File, Monday, January 10). more...
RUBBISH collection in Worcester is a triumph of stupidity over common sense. more...
THE Government appears to be in favour of massive development of wind farms. more...
I REFER to letter from A Hinett, (Evening News, Wednesday, January 5) more...
BRIAN Hunt's letter (Friday, January 7) mentions reports that Worcester City Council is proposing to close existing public toilets. more...
I WOULD like to thank the lady who gave me a lift home on Friday, January 7. more...
I REALLY laughed at John Phillpott writing of "A Degree in Insectology and Applied Moths" (Evening News, Monday, January 3). more...
PROCEEDS from the forthcoming Bromsgrove Town v Barnt Green cricket match would be given as a benefit to Smith, the town's stumper, who had served the team well and who was presently on duty for the county against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Last week the town played away at Sparkhill and the Messenger was severely critical of the dangerous condition of the pitch. "A hard day with a scythe and roller would make it an ideal pitch for football," it said. more...
THE village of Catshill, in Bromsgrove, was coming to terms with a terrible accident that had claimed the lives of two people and injured several more. Mary Jack, aged 34, from Wildmoor Lane, and Brian Read, 21, from Woodrow Lane, had been among a party from the village's Welcome Hall Bible Class on a coach trip to Switzerland, which crashed in France when the driver was attacked by a wasp. After a joint funeral they were buried side by side in Catshill cemetery. more...
TWO Bromsgrove hospital workers had made it through to the final of the Miss Hospital Personality Competition organised by the Engine House Club at Tardebigge. They were Nanette Drew, a nurse at Lea, and Sandra Murphy, a secretary at the General. more...
TWO Birmingham men appeared at Bromsgrove Police Court on a charge of illegal gambling. Thomas Marsden, of Bordsley Park Road, Birmingham, and James Bridgwater, of Green Lane, Black Heath, were charged with playing a game called `backing the colours' at the Bromsgrove sports day. Superintendent Beal said he had seen the two defendants playing the game and trying to drum up trade. Police Constable Mead, dressed in plain clothes, observed the men for two hours and saw they had a shaker, a dice and a sheet with six colours on. The chairman of of the bench fined them 20s (£1) and 4s (20p) costs each and said: "You are not the kind of gentlemen we want in Bromsgrove." more...
BROMSGROVE firm JK Bradshaw was responsible for the first major building to be finished of the re-planned Coventry city centre, which was destroyed during the war. It was a contemporary designed hairdressing salon. The firm carried out the work in less than eight weeks. As there was only one window in the building, false windows were installed and modern tungsten lighting. more...
FORGINGS manufacturers Garringtons, employers of 1,600 workers, were to be affected by a national strike. The work force was to answer a call for strike action from 18 engineering unions supporting a claim for better pay and shorter hours. But Garringtons workers had an individual agreement with the firm, which guaranteed them wage packets over £80, more than requested by the strike action. Branch secretary of the technical and supervisory arm of the AUEW (Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers), Trevor Porter, said there was nothing he would like better than for the dispute to be called off. He said: "We have nothing to gain by staying at home, only a day's pay to lose." Garringtons management said they knew the position the workers were in so there were no hard feelings. more...
TRADE in Droitwich was getting worse, a situation that prompted the town council to ask the Salt Unionth largest employer if it could take on more staff. The Spa's baths industry and spin offs from it like the hotel trade were flourishing, but what what was needed, the coucil said, was jobs for working men. The Messenger compared the Spa's present plight with that of Bromsgrove 20 years ago when the handmade nail trade began its rapid decline. more...
BROMSGROVE Trades Council called for butchers to label their goods with the price per pound now that rationing had ended. This was to save embarrassing young housewives who had not been used to ordering meat during and the after the war. One young woman, who innocently asked her butcher for a leg of lamb, was stunned when told the price was way beyond her purse at 19/6 (95.5p). When she said "it's a bit big," the butcher retorted "lambs have big legs!" more...
THE cold spring which had stopped many people venturing away from their firesides was thought to be one of the reasons why Avoncroft museum at Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove had for the first time in the ten years since it opened suffered a dramatic fall off in visitors. Last year 60,000 people paid at the turnstiles. more...
SOME paupers at Droitwich workhouse took the opportunity to complain about the plague of flies that was making life miserable, when one of the ruling guardians, Mr Holyoake Wight, paid a visit. They said bald inmates were particularly affected. The master was instructed to take steps to catch the insects, but he had already done so by ordering a quantity of flypapers. more...
THE new open air rifle range built in the quarry in Marlbrook Lane was officially opened in a deluge. Drainage ditches had to be hastily dug to channel the flood water away. Work on the project, which could accommodate 36 marksmen, had been carried out by the Bromsgrove branch of the Worcestershire Regiment's Association. more...
COMEDIAN Ernie Wise was to officially open Bromsgrove's new Fine Fare supermarket in Market Street. And the well-known actor Gordon Jackson had promised to come to make the draw for a raffle for a holiday of a lifetime, courtesy of the store. more...
BROMSGROVE was to have comedies and tragedies to look forward to as a theatrical licence was granted for Viola Jennings to stage plays in a temporary building in Crown Close for two months from October 1. Chairman of the magistrates' bench, Mr Hobson, said Miss Jenning's theatre had been coming to Bromsgrove for 50 years and its conduct had always been of the highest character. more...
Bromsgrove High School students were celebrating their exam results. Most pupils took one or two advanced levels, but some of the brighter ones excelled and passed three. Three or four `O', or ordinary, levels were generally taken. The Messenger carried a full list of the candidates who passed. more...
SHOPPERS were reminded the new Fine Fare superstore would be opening on September 4, based on Market Street, where the ASDA store is now. The store manager promised bargain hunters to refund twice the difference if they could do their weekly shop anywhere else cheaper. more...
A BROMSGROVE man appeared at Bow Street Court, London, charged on remand with committing wilful and corrupt perjury. William Robert Reece, a commission agent, was charged with perjury when giving evidence in support of a claim he brought against London and North Western Railway Company for £5,000 because of personal injury. He protested he was totally deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other and couldn't fully hear the questions asked of him at the claims hearing. He was found to be shamming after being tested by a doctor. He was accused and remanded. more...
IMPROVEMENTS were made in Rubery to homes on New Inns Lane after residents experienced difficulties because of low water pressure. The problem arose because the top water level of the Chandwich service reservoir, which controlled the water pressure, was slightly higher that the houses in question. A solution was found when the Corporation of Birmingham carried out developments on the Birmingham side of Callowbrook Lane and organised with Worcestershire water company for them to take a small bulk supply at the lower end of New Street lane. more...
MRS Gill Hadgetts was presented with a cheque for £1,000 after being the last winner of the old-style Bromsgrove District Council lottery. It was the last draw before a new bingo style was introduced. more...
BROMSGROVE Cricket Club had taken full advantage of an ideal cricketing summer to break all previous records. In 1894, 18 matches had been won, but this year the score stood at 23 wins with only five lost out of a total of 34 games played. 5,455 runs had been scored for the loss of 293 wickets. more...
THE proliferation of advertising signs on main road approaches to Bromsgrove was irritating the urban district council which had compiled a list of some 150 offenders. Many included national company slogans, others, mainly local firms, had their names emblazoned on the gable ends of properties. more...
THE standard of the Bromsgrove branch of the Burma Star Association was carried with pride by 73-year-old Stan Wright at the funeral of Earl Mountbatten. The town was one of a hundred or so represented from all over Britain at the funeral. Mr Wright was secretary of the local branch. more...
COMPLAINTS from nearby residents about organised ball games, particularly football, being played in Crown Close could lead to the town getting its first official recreation ground. Bromsgrove's town council was to explore the possibility of allowing building on land in Market Street in return for use of land at the rear as a public open space. The vicar, particularly, was upset at the damage caused to his garden and greenhouse by balls being kicked into his vicarage garden. more...
THERE was mounting concern in educational circles over the type of material school children in the district were reading. It followed the discovery that an American comic was doing the rounds in local schools. more...
BOURNHEATH cat breeder Marion Pearson, from Parish Hill, was doing her bit to foster better relationships with countries from behind the Iron Curtain. Two of her prize Persian pussies had been exported to a village near Budapest where their new owner planned to breed from them. more...
THE Congregational Church of Wychbold was prettily decorated with fruit, vegetables and flowers for the harvest thanksgiving celebration. While the song service in the afternoon was well attended and presided over by Mr Chivers, of Cambridge. He gave an address and then the congregation heard solo and duet performances from members of the choir. Mrs Drinkwater played the new organ. In the evening, a large congregation listened to a service and everyone congratulated the church on the success of the event and the acquisition of the splendid organ, which would serve for many services to come. Collections and donations on the day were particularly good, amounting to £4. The gifts of fruit and vegetables were divided between the Bromsgrove Cottage Hospital, the Almhouses and other institutions. more...
A WEEK of Battle of Britain activities were concluded with the customary parade and service to commend `the devotion and heroism of those members of the Royal Air Force who gave their lives for our sakes', according to the speaker Rev C Hand. A procession from Market Street through the town centre to St John's Church included members of Bromsgrove and Stourbridge branches of the Royal Air Force Association, the Bromsgrove and Lickey End British Legion and other groups from the district. Rev Hand, a former priest-in-charge at Fairfield gave an address. He said the younger generation easily forgets the great sacrifices that were made in the war. "Our memories are very, very short," said Rev Hand, "That's why it is important that this service should be held annually to remind people of the sacrifices that were made." The church collection amounted to £11 6s 6d (£11.32½) more...
SEVENTEEN-hundred workers at Bromsgrove's GKN Garringtons factory were sent home as the forge closed down indefinitely. The shock move came after the town's biggest employers failed to curb damaging industrial action over a national union pay claim. Workers had only been told about the decision two days before. A spokesman for the firm said the closure was a direct result of the overtime ban and three-day week imposed by the unions. Feelings were mixed as the workers clocked off. Some blamed the unions for their plight while others blamed the management. Most were annoyed at the short notice they had been given. One skilled fitter said: "Some of us expected it to happen sooner or later anyway. There have been rumours since the end of August." more...
THE daily newspaper The Morning Leader carried a picture of a lad from Wychbold, one Master Sproaten, whom it described as a "giant." The boy, aged five weighed a massive 9stones 4lbs. more...
THE first phase of a £2,500 scheme to restore All Saint's Church in Bromsgrove began after the initial £500 had been raised. However, problems had been encountered early on when it was found laths in the roof were above the main beams not below, as was more usual. more...
WOMEN patients in the surgical ward at Bromsgrove General Hospital would have the hardworking members of the WRVS to thank for enabling them to maintain their modesty in future. Their trolley service made a profit of £2,000 with which they planned to buy curtains to screen off the beds. The present curtain tracks were inadequate and left chinks between the curtains. more...
THE revolting condition of the latrines at Stourbridge Road School occupied the minds of North Bromsgrove School managers when they held their monthly meeting. It was said there was clear evidence they had not been emptied for some time and it was resolved to send a post card to the urban district council, which was responsible for them, urging that they be attended to swiftly. more...
JOHN Shrimpton Cooke, the well known Bromsgrove printer, shopkeeper, sportsman and long time member of the Baptist church, died aged 68 in the room in his premises in Market Place in which he had been born. He had run a printing works there and his aunt Miss Shrimpton and his sister Margery managed the sub post office. more...
WORK began on repairing the 160-year-old canal tunnel at Tardebigge which had closed last year when it became unsafe. The delay had been caused because of difficulties in hiring a suitable contractor to carry out the specialised work. more...
WALKMILLS Farm at Wychbold, comprising a house, outbuildings and 57 acres of land came under the hammer at an auction conducted by Luce and Silvers the Bromsgrove auctioneers. After spirited bidding it was sold for £4,000. more...
COUNCIL house tenants in Bromsgrove were upset at new rules which limited them to keeping one dog, six hens and an outright ban on cockerels. Frank Taylor an enterprising tenant from Sidemoor who bred Alsations had got round the new ruling limiting the size of dog pens. He had cleverly sunk part of his pen into his garden thereby maintaining the strict four-foot height above ground level restriction. more...
JOHN Edney, aged 42, a bus driver from Lander Close, Rubery, got a shock when experts told him the misshapen object he had dug up after locating it with bis metal detector was a cannon ball from the Civil War. He returned to the undisclosed spot and dug up a further 37 per fectly shaped balls. He planned to donate some to the Norton Collection. more...
A WOODEN casket containing the ashes of the late Rev T C de la Hay, former vicar of St John's Church in Bromsgrove from 1921-44, was buried in the nave at the foot of the chancel arch. more...
TWO religious memorial murals given by Donald Gilbert of London in memory of his father Walter, one of the founders of the Bromsgrove Guild along with Lous Weingartner his loyal assistant for many years, were dedicated at a service at Hanbury church. The originals had been used for part of the reredos at Liverpool Cathedral. more...
MORE than 2,500 jobs at the Austin works at Longbridge were to be axed as part of British Leyland chairman Michael Edwardes' survival plan. Altogether a total of 25,000 jobs were to go from all the plants involved. more...
AN Aston Fields man knocked out two giant tiger tanks in France. Sergeant Frank H Barker, of Coronation Terrace, of Worcestershire Regiment, used his anti-tank gun to take out the German tanks by loading and firing together. He said: "They went by slowly, I opened up on the first tank at 450 yards, my first shot put it out of action." Crew from the second tan bailed out after he fired at it and its gears locked. more...
AT a meeting chaired by Mr W T Fox, Belbroughton Parish Council heard their persistent representations for the provision of a footpath along the Bell Heath Road had at long last borne fruit. The divisional surveyor wrote it was hoped that work would be carried out in the near future, and a suggested path, also asked for in Top Road, would be passed to the county surveyor for his observation. Gratitude was also passed to the county council for the efforts made to clear roadside gullies in Dordale Road, thus preventing further flooding. more...
BROMSGROVE and District Canine Society had a good quality entry for their final show of the year. Best in show was a whippet bitch named Savillepark Symphony, best opposite sex was golden retriever Andy Grey Token of Michant, with a standard poodle bitch named Silverstell of Whittens, taking the prize for best puppy. more...
A BROMSGROVE family had a lucky escape after an explosion in a river cruiser home. Mr and Mrs Stanley Ryland, who formerly lived at the Elms, Rock Hill, Bromsgrove, lived with their two children in the boat. A gas leak from cylinders used for cooking exploded ripping the cabin roof off and smashing glass panels on the side of the cruiser. Fortunately none of the family were injured. more...
SPEAKING at the annual dinner of Bromsgrove Town Band, Chairman of the Urban District Council, Mr Webley, gave the news that the long awaited bandstand will probably be erected in Sanders Park. The meeting was held at the Golden Cross, in Bromsgrove. Mr Fred Smith offered materials for the stand. more...
THE new Rubery residents association committed itself to fight for a better deal for members. Cockhill Residents Association, covering nearly 1,000 homes, was determined to change the image of the area when over 100 people attended a meeting chaired by resident Brian France. He said: "People are angered by the lack of interest shown by the council. Some of the problems maybe of our own making but the area has suffered years of neglect." more...
SIDNEY Giles, from Little Lane, Bromsgrove, would have ample time to reflect on his misdemeanours when he was sentenced to a month's jail at Worcester for twice having been found guilty of using foul language in his own home, but within earshot of the public at large. Deciding to give him a sharp lesson, Bromsgrove magistrates heard he had committed the offences last month but had 16 previous convictions for the same crime. He was also fined £2/0/3 (£2.1) including costs and given no time to pay. more...
DURING Droitwich's Remembrance Day service, Alderman Mrs J Adenbrooke unveiled a plate on the war memorial bearing the names of those who died during the two world wars. For an hour before the service began a guard of honour was mounted by two veterans from the first war and two who served in the second. more...
BROMSGROVE would know before Christmas whether its bid to form a twinning link with Gronau in West Germany would be successful. A delegation from Gronau had just completed a whistlestop tour of Bromsgrove to judge its suitability. Bromsgrove had already agreed to the plan. more...
DROITWICH West End Cricket Club held its annual ball in Salters' Hall with dancing from 8pm to 4am. Around 130 couples took to the floor many of the men in flannels and sporting the club's blue and old gold colours. They were watched by 130 spectators in the gallery who no doubt watched the grand proceedings with some envy. more...
BROMSGROVE Cricket Club was a solid bulwark against an encroaching Birmingham City and a rapidly ever-changing town Mr S Foster told the 64 guests at their annual dinner held at the Golden Cross Hotel. The club was also currently enjoying a new lease of life with members showing a renewed interest in its activities. more...
CAR-STARVED British Leyland dealers who could not get their hands on enough of the firm's best seller, the popular Mini range produced at Longbridge, were having to turn customers away. This was having a detrimental effect on sales and which resulted in Ford models occupying the top five places. But help was on the way. Minis were to be made in Belgium from kits despatched from Longbridge and then shipped back to the UK. more...
RUBERY Citizen's Association was celebrating its silver jubilee. It was founded in 1929 when there had been many grumbles regarding East Worcestershire Waterworks Company wanting to put up its prices. As a result the company backed down. more...
BAYER, who had lately taken over the former Uniroyal site at Stoke and which had originally been the salt works, staged an open day to demonstrate the latex making process to villagers. more...
AN inquest into the murder of Florrie Porter, a 33-year-old clerk at the Austin works, whose body was found at Lickey End School, returned a verdict of murder by "some person unknown." The victim, from nearby Little Heath Lane, had been stabbed seven times. more...
BROMSGROVE Council refused two proposals to develop in Rubery. One was from Messrs A and J Mucklow for an extension of their Callowbrook Farm enterprise on land shown on the County Development Plan as being outside the development area, and a plot was needed for a public open space for the adjoining residential area. The other applicant was Mr T H Wooldridge who wished to build on Waseley Hills Farm. In that case, the council said, the area was not specified for development and the plot was also required for public pen space. more...
BROMSGROVE town planners decided to play the waiting game before expressing an opinion on a suggestion to ban all through traffic from using Windsor Street. The county inspired suggestion to make the street a bus only route, except for those requiring access, was met with some concern by local councillors who deferred making a decision until the pattern of traffic emerged following the introduction of a traffic free High Street. Surveyor, John Sowden, told the meeting that the county surveyor held the view that with the traffic free High Street, there was the possibility of motorists using Windsor Street as a through route. This he felt would lead to unacceptable congestion. Councillor Guy Barker, contented the suggestion was premature and on the requirement of the chairman Cllr Margaret Taylor, it was agreed to wait and see the pattern of traffic which emerged. more...
IT was announced some 50 students from Bromsgrove County High School would be assisting with the mail deliveries to assure the Christmas post got through on time. University and college students were also assisting in mail sorting. People were being urged to get their seasonal mail posted as soon as possible to avoid backlogs. more...
MEMBERS of Stoke Prior Parish Council decided at their meeting to give their active support to the appeal for help in meeting the cost of renovating Stoke Prior Village Hall. Treasurer Mr ES Passmore told colleagues that the provision of a new floor had cost about £400 of which there was at present a deficit of about £150. The committee had about that much in bonds but at least that much again was needed to renovate the exterior woodwork, which had been infested with woodworm. more...
IT was feared a temporary secure unit a Barnsley Hall Hospital could turn out to be permanent. After learning from the regional health authority, Community Health Council secretary Brian Thomas, stressed the unit at Barnsley Hall was only meant to be temporary until a new 100 bed regional centre was opened at Rubery Hill. more...
DAVE Bradley has a favourite dream. Tucked up and snug in bed, his mind wanders back to the day when he opened the batting on the MCG. more...
THE Evening News today begins a massive campaign to help rebuild the lives of the millions of people devastated by the Asian tsunami disaster. more...
CHILDREN were the worst affected by the Boxing Day tsunamis, in which thousands were killed and millions left orphaned and homeless. more...
A WOMAN from Worcester whose Sri Lankan family had all their possessions destroyed by the Asian tsunami has sparked a church aid appeal. more...
CUSTOMERS at a mobile phone stall in Worcester donated nearly £600 to the tsunami appeal in less than a week. more...
RICH countries must adopt vital reforms or risk failing tsunami victims, a leading aid agency warned today. more...
CHRIS Evans, Zoe Ball and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne were due to host radio shows to help the Tsunami victims today. more...
TRAVEL chiefs were due to meet today to thrash out a united approach to rebuilding tourism in Asia's tsunami-hit areas. more...
THE aquamarine tsunami wristbands are currently in transit from the Far East and will go on sale the moment they arrive in Worcestershire. But make sure you don't miss out, order yours now`. more...
INMATES at Bromsgrove Workhouse had enjoyed the many gifts given them over the Christmas holidays. Lord Windsor from Hewell had donated evergreens to decorate the institution as well as six rabbits for patients in the Infirmary. The Messenger Company had kindly promised to supply four free copies of the newspaper every week for a year. more...
IN its review of the local property market in Bromsgrove in 1953 the Messenger quoted town estate agent A Victor Powell. He said the year had got off to a slow start with prospective purchasers believing prices would continue to fall. This had not happened and the market later recovered seeing some better houses selling for more than in the post war boom year of 1951. Demand for building land in Bromsgrove continued to rise some making as much as 30/- (£1.50) a square yard. more...
AROUND 40 people living on Beacon Hill, Rubery, staged a New Year's day protest to complain about the smell from Halal Meat Company's slaughterhouse. A spokesman for the firm said steps would be taken to solve the problem. more...
THE body of a newly born boy was discovered in the alley off Ednall Lane. Annie Nowell, aged 13, was the first witness. She said she was coming home from Sunday School at about 3.30pm and discovered the body, wrapped in a brown paper bag tied up with string. A doctor examined the body and said there were no signs of violence and no bones were broken. In the doctor's opinion the baby was still born. The mother of the child could not be found. more...
A MEETING was to be held to decide whether Bromsgrove should become a borough. There were opposing views on the situation. On one hand it was thought that a mayoralty would bring dignity to the town but on the other hand it was thought to be "municipal snobbery and social climbing". more...
DUE to a severe cold spell, schools had been notified that they were to close if they had less than a week's worth of fuel left. Parkside Middle, Gannow Middle, Catshill Middle and Bromsgrove CofE School were all closed. The authorities were watching the situation closely and were trying to work out how long they must allow for frost precautions without closing the schools. more...
MAGISTRATES at Droitwich looked kindly on the rather pathetic figure of widow-woman Alice Harris, from Fox Alley, when she appeared before them charged with stealing 34 pounds of coal from the Great Western Railway depot in the town. Constable Rivers told the bench he had caught her with the coals hidden beneath her cape. The court heard she was in dire distress and bound her over in the sum of £5 to be of good behaviour for six months. more...
FOR the third year in succession Bromsgrove was to have an entrant in the Monte Carlo Rally. Mr E Marsland, from the Oakalls, planned to make his debut in the arduous event driving a Jowett Javelin. Bromsgrove pharmacist Terence Hall had taken part in the last two but this year was in the Tulip Rally. more...
MEMBERS of Bromsgrove District Council were to take a close look at the town brook with a view to cleaning it out to prevent flooding. more...
ANNIE Hughes, aged 26, a domestic servant, was brought up at Bromsgrove Petty Sessions charged with attempting to conceal the body of her newborn infant son by placing it in a parcel in an alley off Ednall Lane. Annie Nowel, 13, of Beech Tree House, The Strand, Bromsgrove, had discovered it. Hughes was bailed in the sum of £20 and a surety of a further £20 until the next assizes at Worcester. more...
WALTER Webb was celebrating the early arrival of twin lambs Nina and Shaggy, at his Townsend Farm in Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove. He said last season's first happy event had not taken place until February. more...
TEN voluntary organisations shared varying sized grants from the £5,150 profits accumulated from the Bromsgrove District Council-run lottery. They ranged from £2,000 to £100. So far the scheme had shown a profit of £27,479. The £3,000 skateboard surface in Sanders Park had been paid for from the proceeds. more...
THERE was good news for residents living in Sandhills Road, Barnt Green. Bromsgrove Rural District Council agreed to pay the cost of connecting the road to mains water supplies at a fee of £1/17/3 (£1.86). However, the authority refused to pay for the drawing up of any agreement with the water supply company. more...
THE provision of a town swimming pool and development of Sanders Park should come before gold chains and ermine robes, declared leading Tory councillor Edgar Longney in a speech to 200 guests at Catshill Conservative Association. He was referring to the leading topic under discussion in Bromsgrove of whether the town should appoint a mayor. The initial cost of such a move was likely to be around £3,000. more...
SALES of tickets on council owned car parks in Bromsgrove had risen by 43 per cent since the authority started getting tough with fee dodgers. more...
WET weather was contributing to the sad plight of many men in Droitwich who were out of work. The mayor had called a public meeting to discuss means of bringing relief to them and their families. Dr Corbett had opened a soup kitchen twice a week and bread was also being distributed. The borough surveyor was to order loads of unbroken stone in order that jobless men might be given work smashing it for road repairs. more...
ALBERT Thatcher, aged 25, a railway worker, was hailed a hero after he saved a bull mastiff belonging to Mrs Fraser, from Winnetts Lane, Droitwich, from a cold and watery grave. While in the signal box, he saw the dog was in difficulties in the middle of the ice covered canal. He dashed outside and stripping off smashed the ice and swam 100 yards to drag the animal to the safety of the bank. Once on dry land the dog shook itself and calmly trotted off, none the worse for its ordeal. more...
BRITAIN was on the verge of "industrial anarchy" the vicar of Stoke Prior, the Rev Harold Goddard, declared in a scathing article in his parish magazine. He was referring to the seemingly never-ending strikes that were disrupting the country. Workers at Longbridge and ambulance men were the latest to join a long list of workers who were either on strike or who had been. Soiled laundry from hospitals in and around Bromsgrove, which was piling up because of a strike by public service employees, was to be destroyed. more...
JOHN Sankey, a saltmaker from Hill End, Droitwich, appeared before Spa magistrates charged with being drunk in Bromsgrove Road. He told the bench a policeman had just past him when another appeared and arrested him. He said the officer had been mistaken, he was not drunk simply ill from a kidney complaint which prevented him from drinking beer. All he had was two nips of gin. Magistrates gave him the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case. more...
PLANS for what was expected to become Bromsgrove's Education Centre were published in The Messenger. A college of further education and four schools were earmarked for the 60-acre plot of land between Well Lane and Alcester Road. Final details were still to be finalised but work on a three form entry grammar school to accommodate 600 pupils, to replace the school at Parkside, was expected to begin this year. more...
THE latest round of strikes, which were crippling industry and bringing misery to millions, was condemned as "virtual anarchy" by Bromsgrove Trades Council secretary Alex Irvine. He declared the disputes "were an open invitation for Margartet Thatcher to romp home" in the forthcoming General Election. more...
BROMSGROVE had got a new town centre meeting place. The Victoria Hall, in Alcester Road, opened with a minstrel show. It was a large room with a gallery. The whole building was heated by stoves and capable of accommodating 300 people. more...
LADY Barnett, who had recently shot to fame following her numerous TV appearances, was the guest speaker at a dinner organised by the Womens' Advisory Council of the local Conservative Association. more...
ATTRACTIVE Rebecca May was voted Bromsgrove's new Dairy Maid at a contest held at Perry Hall Hotel in the town. She lived at Sheltwood Farm, Tardebigge, and was studying housekeeping and catering at Worcester Technical College. more...
STRANGERS visiting Catshill Church were not made welcome, the writer of a letter in the Messenger's correspondence columns claimed. "Disgusted", of Barley Mow Lane, said they were given neither hymn nor prayer books and were made to stand throughout services in which they could take very little part. That was until the collection was taken, then the plate was thrust into their faces! more...
WORCESTERSHIRE FA officials ordered that a county junior cup match, in which Bromsgrove team Chadstone had beaten Grimley 7-6, should be replayed because the pitch oat Catshill Junior School was too short. A sharp-eyed Grimley fan had spotted one side was three yards short of the minimum 100 yards, the other a yard. more...
KATHLEEN Edwards, aged 68, and her sister Janet, 65, were dismayed to learn that the were to be turned out of the bungalow they had shared at Lickey End for close on 50 years. They were given the grim news that the land was needed for the M42 slip road by two men from the ministry who visited them. more...
CHARITABLE teachers at a Worcestershire school have put their best feet forward to raise a massive £2,500 for a national leukaemia charity. more...
MALVERN and Droitwich could be left without a direct train to Birmingham in a rail shake-up currently being discussed, Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff has claimed. more...
A CANARY owned by Mr Sandles, of Stoney Hill, which had attained the incredible age of 22 had died. His family had acquired it when it was 12 months old. more...
A group that tours Worcestershire asking people if their council makes them "mad, sad or glad" is in line for an award for getting people interested in local politics. more...
FOLOWING a two-hour hearing, Bromsgrove Licensing Justices decided not to grant the Victoria pub in Barnt Green permission to open on Sundays. more...
THE people who keep an eye out for burglars targeting their neighbours will be under watch themselves in Herefordshire this month. more...
A MOVE to put the twinning agreement between Bromsgrove and Gronau onto a firmer footing took a step forward when a delegation led by David Megan from Barnt Green visited the west German town where they were met by the mayor. A return visit was set to take place in June. more...
A BRAVE youngster inspired to walk again by boy band Busted is down in the dumps after hearing his beloved pop stars have split. more...
WHAT was it that gave longevity to so many Bromsgrove residents? During the past fortnight eight people, buried in the town's churchyard, had an aggregate age of 621, which averaged out at more than 77.5 years each. more...
A YOUTH football match was abandoned because it threatened to boil over into violence, it is claimed. more...
A NEW car hailed as a potentially huge dollar earner for Britain was unveiled to 200 pressmen at Longbridge. The Nash Metropolitan, made at the Austin works for the USA market, had an A40 engine, was capable of 40mpg and had a top speed of 75mph. During its trials around Marlbrook, its rainbow hues had attracted much attention. It came in two versions, the convertible at £524 and the hardtop at £516. more...
SERIOUSLY-ill children in Worcestershire stand a better chance of surviving, thanks to a new state-of-the-art system being installed across the county. more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers were facing yet another financial crisis this time after Littlewoods Lotteries decided to pull out of the scheme because not enough tickets were being sold. So far some £8,000 had been raised for the Greens, which had kept the team afloat as gates continued to dwindle. Club director Evelyn Lacey said without the extra cash the future looked bleak. more...
MOVES to bring in 24-hour drinking will ease alcohol-fuelled violence in Worcester city centre, MP Michael Foster reckons. more...
THE triennial Bromsgrove Urban District Council elections were to be held on March 28 and the front page of the Messenger was taken up with calls from the current council for re-election and letters from other residents canvassing support for themselves. more...
THE man behind the controversial West End show Jerry Springer The Opera has backed Worcestershire MP Peter Luff's scathing attack on the BBC. more...
A GRAND dance at Harris Brushworks was being held in the evening. more...
TWO people were taken to hospital following a crash involving two cars in Lower Broadheath. more...
THE town was shaken by the news of three smash-and-grab raids overnight. more...
THOMAS Bullock, an engine driver from Gloucester, appeared before Bromsgrove magistrates charged with allowing his traction engine to blow off steam on the highway at the Whetty in Rubery. He told magistrates he was filling the boiler with water from a stream at the time. He was fined 5/- (25p) with 9/6 (47.5p) costs. more...
THE Evening News today begins a massive campaign to help rebuild the lives of the millions of people devastated by the Asian tsunami disaster. more...
TWO freak eggs, one shaped like a banana the other smaller than a sixpence, had been laid by a pullet belonging to Mr W Heath, of High Elms Farm, Lower Bentley, near Bromsgrove. more...
A FUNERAL service for the late Ottilie Hild, aged 83, took place at St Peter's RC Church, Rock Hill. An Austrian by birth, Ottilie Hild came to England in 1936 to work as a governess. She later established a kindergarten in a single room overlooking Crown Close before acquiring larger premises in College Road in which to set up a private school for local children. more...
EVEN the oldest Bromsgrove Rovers fans could not recall a bank holiday programme when the team had fared so badly. more...
BROMSGROVE Rover's first friendly game against Southern league outfit Bath City, under the Victoria Ground's new floodlights in front of a crowd of 1,400, was marred by rain and a heavy snowstorm. more...
ALL eyes would be on Bromsgrove and Redditch constituency, the largest in Britain, in the forthcoming General Election next month. The shifting population of the two towns make forecasting the result difficult. more...
"SUNDAY -- how shall we keep it?" was the subject of the latest special service for working men at St John's Church, Bromsgrove. The vicar, in his sermon, pinpointed three areas for consideration. They were rest of the body and soul, not simply lying in bed all day, he said, but by such things as quiet strolls in the country. The second was spending the day with one's family, and of course worship, which he advocated for every man, woman and child. more...
THE district council was considering three designs that had been submitted for the layout of the new Sanders Park off Kidderminster Road. Meanwhile, the four-acre former tip nearby was to be leased at a peppercorn rent as a playing field for Watt Close School. The King George playing field at Sidemoor was to have £8,000 spent on it to construct two tennis courts, as well as a bowling green and gardens. more...
THERE had been reports of several thefts from hospitals in Bromsgrove, which included vital medical equipment. An x-ray machine, which had been bought with a £500 donation from Rubery Round Table has been stolen from the General, even before it had been unpacked. A television set and chairs had also gone missing from the doctors' lounge. more...
A LARGE gathering of people, who turned up to watch the netting of fish in the vastly overstocked Big Bittell Reservoir at Cofton Hackett, were treated to some comic capers. Despite the efforts of the onlookers and two strong horses, the 100-yard sea net could not be budged, the rope eventually snapped. It was feared the net was fouling the submerged yacht Mermaid which had sunk some years before in a storm. About 3,000 fish were caught and transferred in four water carts to a pool in Birmingham. more...
THE wooden church hall built at a cost of £300 in a corner of a strawberry field alongside Middle Road, Wildmoor, was used for Holy Communion for the first time on Easter Sunday. It would be used for the spiritual and secular needs of the community. The land had been donated by Walter Webb, of Townsend Farm, Bromsgrove. more...
THREE families were lucky to escape with their lives when their Bromsgrove homes were severely damaged by fire and a freak flash of lightning over the Easter holidays. Two upstairs rooms at farmer Philip Powell's home in Timberhonger Lane were destroyed when a bolt from the blue hit the premises. And fire caused damage put at £2,000 to Graham Hawkin's home in Shaw Lane, Stoke Prior, while a house in School Lane, Upton Warren, has also been damaged in a blaze. more...
A SUCCESSFUL fancy dress ball was held at Salters' Hall, in Droitwich, where 100 revellers took to the floor, watched by an audience of around 200 from the galleries. The first part of the evening was given over to juniors interspersed with Highland flings. more...
A FULL-SCALE mock up of a railway accident was staged in Bromsgrove by the county police force on Sunday to test the emergency services' responses. To make it as lifelike as possible to represent wreckage, eight tons of timber had been put into a "crashed" carriage which had to be cleared to get at the 40 "casualties," half of whom were presumed dead. Town GP Dr Kenchington was the token medic on duty. more...
THE Messenger commented on the number of empty shops in Bromsgrove. Rental firm British Relay was the latest to close, following hard on the heels of Burton's men shop, Gilboys Leather in Church Street and Currys. District council leader Cllr Henry Chattin, however, forecast the opening of Fine Fare supermarket would attract more shoppers to the town and other shops would follow as a result. more...
VISCOUNT and Viscountess Cobham, from Hagley Hall, were renting a house in London for the season, during which time their second daughter the Hon Frances Lyttleton was to come out. She would be presented at one of the May courts. more...
LEO Antosiewicz, 46, had been recaptured in Worcester on Saturday after escaping from Barnsley Hall Mental Hospital, in Bromsgrove, the previous day. He had been spotted by a hospital worker who recognised him. Antosiewicz had been sent to Bromsgrove from Broadmoor, where he had been since 1943. He had been committed there after he shot Lionel Taylor, the landlord of the Golden Cross Hotel, in Bromsgrove, in the stomach while burgling the premises. more...
POLLING stations in Bromsgrove were busy from the word go on Thursday, as residents went to vote in the General Election and local elections. A team of over 100 at North Bromsgrove High School would work through the night to count the votes. The Conservative Hal Miller was defending a majority of 2,000 for the parliamentary seat. more...
THE farming enterprise at Bromsgrove Workhouse showed a profit of £89, according to the accounts drawn up last Michaelmas and at Lady Day. The master had also been given the go-ahead to purchase a large tub for scalding pigs and to buy two new mole traps. more...
RECENTLY-introduced car parking charges and waiting restrictions on many roads in Bromsgrove town centre had upset members of the Chamber of Trade. Shopkeepers said the 3d (1p) fee was driving potential shoppers away. This week the urban district council refused to meet a delegation of angry chamber members who wanted to hand in a 500-name petition calling for a rethink on charges. The car parks had made a profit of £11 during April. more...
GRAHAM Reddie, 53, from East Road, Bromsgrove, had landed the job of chief architect with Redditch Development Corporation. He had already been responsible for the overall planning of Redditch town centre and the refurbishment of the Palace Theatre. more...
A PAIR of starlings had built a truly mobile home. It was in a coal wagon in a Midland Railway Wagon in sidings at Blackwell station. more...
LABOUR group leader, Councillor Henry Webley's name, had been put forward to be the next chairman of Bromsgrove Urban District Council. Cllr Webley, from Perryfields, would be the council's 21st chairman and the first Labour man to hold the highest civic office. He had been a district councillor since 1946 and had served on the county council too. He had been a leading figure in the rebuilding of the Labour party in Bromsgrove after the war. more...
THE temperature in Bromsgrove reached a sweltering 79 degrees Farenheit on Tuesday, the third consecutive day the temperature had hit the 70s mark. It was the warmest May day since 1970. The hottest May temperature on record was in 1822 and 1944 when the mercury reached 90F. However, this week in 1879 drifting snow caused havoc on the roads. more...
ONE of the most disastrous fires in the memory of man destroyed a large part of the carriage works belonging to Daniel Giles. in Station Street, Bromsgrove. The blaze, which was thought to have been started deliberately, was spotted just after midnight by the lamplighter while on his rounds extinguishing the lights. The cost of the damage is colossal at more than £1,000. Production was, however, to continue in another part of the works. more...
A NEW venture for Bromsgrove, a two-day arts festival organised by Avoncroft College, at Stoke Heath, was a great success. The packed programme included plays, opera, folk dancing, art, craft and various exhibitions. It was hoped it would become an annual event. more...
RUBERY was a "forgotten village" as far as Bromsgrove District Council was concerned, Jack Troth, chairman of the Chamber of Trade, complained. Rubery always had to make do with second best regarding amenities, cash allocation, transport and even Christmas lights, he said. more...
BAKER and confectioner, William Ward, of High Street, was charged with having a violent dog, on the information of Walter Parry, a nail manufacturer of The Crescent. Mr Parry said he had cause to suspect Mr Ward's dog was violent because it had attacked his daughter's dog around the neck. Mr Horton, for the complainant, said it was obvious the dog was dangerous from its behaviour. But Mr Ward said he had sent the dog away and it would no longer cause a problem. The magistrates' clerk said the Bromsgrove bench could do many things but it could not do the impossible and if Mr Ward no longer had the dog then he could not order him to keep control of it. more...
CHILDREN of Hanbury school entertained parents and friends with a special afternoon. Two percussion bands performed two musical items, the junior children sang in song groups and the infants performed a play written by Miss Mason called A Day in May. Tea and cakes had been provided by the parents and were served by the older children. more...
TOWNSFOLK were warned by churchmen that Bromsgrove could be in danger of losing a £250,000 church centre. Methodist leaders were concerned that unless they made progress in the negotiations for a town centre site, the multi-purpose community project may have to be scrapped. Church leaders wanted to put a community centre on the old Almhouses site in Stratford Road but the council wanted to turn it into a car park. A spokesman for the church said there was nothing for young people to do in Bromsgrove so a community centre would be more useful. more...
JOSEPH Davis, 28, of Stoke Works, suffered a serious injury while working at the Stoke Prior mill. He became caught up in the machinery and was thrust against a pillar, crushing a shoulder. He was taken to the Cottage Hospital where he was attended to by Dr Coaker. more...
AT a ceremony thought to be unique in Britain an outdoor alter was dedicated at the scouts camping ground at Cofton Hackett by the Rector of Northfield. It was in memory of William Middleton, a scoutmaster, who died in 1952, and had been associated with the movement for 30 years. more...
RETIRING bus driver Eddie Lindup was ceremoniously towed the last few yards of his final journey into the Bromsgrove depot by his colleagues. Eddie, from West Way, Droitwich Spa, had originally only planned to work on the buses for a week, but stayed on for 40 years. more...
CHEEKY Birmingham carpenter, William Yeates, appeared before Droitwich police court charged with trying to exchange a jug he had just stolen from the Swan pub, Upton Warren, for a pint of beer at the same hostelry. He had failed to note the jug had the pub's name on it. Appealing for leniency he told the bench he had left home because his wife nagged him and he was on his way to Malvern in search of work. He was bound over in the sum of £5 not to offend again. more...
BROMSGROVE Motors in Worcester Road was advertising the new Hillman Minx car for £470 plus £196 purchase tax. more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers manager, Roy Martin, had acted swiftly to shore up his depleted side after seven first team members, including John Dyer, left. He had signed four players and was hard on the trail of a further six. Among the new men was goalie Mickey Lawrence who had league experience and who was said to be the best in the county. more...
ALICE Potter, aged 17, from Bromsgrove, pleaded guilty at the Worcester Assizes to a charge of forgery. She had written a letter purporting to come from her family's landlord, Mr Ince, of High Street, to the bailiff, to the effect that no rent was owed him. She had also filled in the rent book herself. The judge showed no mercy and handed her a three-month jail sentence. more...
A SINGLE engine De Haviland Moth Minor aircraft being flown from Buckinghamshire to Coventry to take part in the King's Cup Air Race was forced to land at Forest Farm, Hanbury, because of mist and a shortage of petrol. The two occupants stayed at a Droitwich hotel overnight while fuel was obtained from Birmingham. A fire engine from Bromsgrove was summoned to stand by as the plane took off. more...
RESOURCEFUL Ian Jennings, 16, of Old Station Road, Bromsgrove, was doing something practical to realise his dream of getting into showbusiness by arranging interviews with the stars. Already he had met John Inman, Trevor Bannister, Nicholas Parsons and Max Bygraves. Recently he had caught up with Dora Bryant while he was on holiday in Bournemouth. more...
WILLIAM Crampton, landlord of the Boat pub at Stoke Works, and George Patterson, of the White Hart in Hanover Street, appeared before Bromsgrove magistrates charged with adding water to their whisky and rum respectively. In both cases Lucy Perry, whose father was a police sergeant, had posed as a customer to buy a pint of the spirits in each pub for 2/4d (11.5p). She had then given her father samples to have analysed. Both landlords were fined £1 with 7/6d (37.5p) costs. more...
FOOD rationing was finally set to end this weekend and the final meeting of the Bromsgrove control committee was held at the Council House. Tributes were paid to the 50 committee members who had carried out the government's orders during, what at times had been difficult periods, and to housewives in the district who had generally coped very well with the hardships rationing had placed on them. more...
GOVERNMENT cutbacks in education grants, amounting to £13m over the past four years, was starting to have serious effects on local schools. Text books were in short supply and teachers had taken on many of the duties normally carried out by ancillary staff, which had been cut by 40 per cent. Many headteachers were saying standards would inevitably fall as a result. more...
WITH the holiday season nearly upon us and mixed bathing now accepted in most popular watering holes, the advice in the Messenger's women's column was timely. It said now there was a need to be smart. Out had gone unfashionable old blue sack bathing gowns in favour of smart knee-length pleated skirts and "sailor" type blouses. However, a thin corset would still be worn beneath. more...
BROMSGROVE Rovers had been saved from financial ruin by the supporters' Victoria Club and its weekly football sweep, the club's annual meeting held at the Roebuck pub in High Street heard. They had given £1,000 towards the new floodlights £638 for general expenses and £250 to pay outstanding debts. The season had been bad financially due to poor gates and increased costs. Sadly for the club the police had now ordered the sweep to stop. more...
BROMSGROVE council was preparing to get tough on motorists who refused to pay the £5 excess "fine" when caught not having paid the 10p car park fee. The amount so far lost to the authority since last year was £3,000. more...
A SHOCKING suicide was the main talking point in Bromsgrove this week. On Sunday, William Morris, 56, a bootmaker from Worcester Street, was found in his shop with his throat cut just hours after attempting to take his own life by swallowing strychnine. Then a doctor had used a stomach pump to save him. This time however, the doctor had been just five minutes too late to help him. The inquest jury at the police station heard Morris had been depressed over a property deal at Rock Hill, which had led him to take to drink. more...
BOTH urban and rural councils in Bromsgrove were experiencing problems recruiting dustmen to carry out the fortnightly refuse collections from 8,000 homes in the district, At present, it was being done by 22 men using four carts but as more homes were being built they were finding it harder to cope. Council chiefs were to consider introducing an incentive scheme to encourage the men to work harder. more...
THE strawberry season got under way in Bromsgrove last week and was expected to be a fortnight shorter owing to the poor crop resulting from last winter's severe weather and the recent very hot spell. At Asborough's Fruit Farm, at Burcot, 2,000 pick-your-own visitors were expected on Sunday alone. more...
In the days before the introduction of the National Health Service, the Cottage Hospital held an annual fundraising Saturday in High Street. More money than ever had been donated over the course of the year and the funds were up by £16 15s 6d (£16.77½). The Messenger reported that the people of Bromsgrove could always be relied upon to respond to a hospital appeal. Already a number of workmen were contributing pennies each week but the Messenger was appealing for everybody to give a little bit more for the good of everyone. more...
Two cyclists summoned to court for lighting offences were said to have told the police officers who stopped them they had no excuses. PC Willetts presented the evidence against Harvey Jones of Dodford. PC Willetts said Jones was riding his bike without proper lighting after midnight and that, when he saw the policeman approaching, he got off the machine. Jones did not attend court and so was fined 15s (75p). Reginald Ashford, of Fox Lane, was fined 5s (25p) less for riding his bike without lights because he attended court in person. more...
Townsfolk were complaining of being disturbed by low-flying jets. Bromsgrove's MP, Hal Miller, had written to the Ministry of Defence asking why the aircraft were training over the district. The planes had spooked farmyard animals, set infants screaming and frightened residents. Landlord of the Country Girl pub, Mark Harman, said the jets had regularly been flying lower than the Droitwich radio masts. The RAF claimed it knew nothing of the training. more...
THREE weeks on from the Boxing Day tsunami disaster, and every day still brings fresh horrors. more...
I SEE that the latest law-and-order gimmick is about to hit the statute books. more...
MARGARET Morris MBE has a good ring to it. The new year honour for the first woman Mayor of Tenbury Wells, former Matron of Tenbury Community Hospital and chairman of the League of Friends has been warmly applauded throughout the Teme Valley. more...
RESIDENTS in Malvern District have smashed Government targets for recycling waste. more...
TEENAGER Ashley Bird is looking forward to switching his television on tonight to watch himself battling it out against fellow scrap-loving youngsters. more...
A NEW community room to help ease the transition of young children into school has been set up at a Droitwich school. more...
SCHOOLS meals are set to come under the spotlight in Worcestershire this month as county chiefs examine the culture of healthy eating for pupils. more...
A NURSERY school offering "high quality" education has been given top marks by Government inspectors. more...
WHAT are the risks of working as a soldier in Iraq? I can of course only comment on my own situation, as one of thousands of support soldiers. more...
MOTORISTS using Droitwich's High Street on a Saturday are to be targeted in a bid to improve safety. more...
A GROUP of adults with severe learning difficulties are preparing to move as their care home is set to close after failing to meet standards more...
STAFF at the Severn Valley Railway are celebrating after recording the second highest passenger figures in its 35-year-history in 2004. more...
A WIDOW has paid tribute to her Royal Air Force officer husband who has died of cancer, aged 48. more...
RABBIT breeders, ribbons and rot proofing - now you can add recycling to the "Rs" you find in the Yellow Pages. more...
KADEER Ali claimed 8-31 as Bromsgrove defeated Aston Unity by 189 runs in their Division One clash. more...
ANOTHER dismal batting performance by Worcester resulted in them suffering a nine-wicket home defeat to Walmley in their Birmingham League Division Two fixture. more...
WARWICKSHIRE moved to the top of the Frizzell County Championship First Division as they thrashed local rivals Worcestershire by nine wickets at Edgbaston. more...
STEPHEN Moore and Graeme Hick guided Worcestershire to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Northamptonshire in the Frizzell County Championship at Wantage Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S County Championship clash with Middlesex ended in a predictable draw at Lord's. more...
FRUSTRATED Worcestershire were cruelly denied the chance to bury Surrey on Saturday when their Frizzell County Championship Division One match at New Road was wrecked by the weather. more...
TOM Moody admitted that Worcestershire were not good enough to prevent Middlesex from securing a six-wicket win in the Frizzell Championship Division One match at New Road, writes Chris Oldnall. more...
A MAGNIFICENT 178 by Graeme Hick, valiantly supported by Australian Andrew Bichel on an unbeaten 103, saw Worcestershire record a remarkable five-wickets win over Gloucestershire. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S `love affair' with North-amptonshire ended in a draw in the Frizzell County Championship Division One match at New Road. more...
MUSHTAQ Ahmed's best match figures for Sussex, 13 for 140, set the reigning champions up for a crucial second successive victory in Division One of the Frizzell County Championship. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S Frizzell County Championship Division One status is hanging by a thread after holding up Warwickshire's title celebrations by securing a draw at New Road yesterday. more...
STEVE Rhodes expressed his regret at Worcestershire's relegation from the Frizzell County Championship Division One when he ended his playing career at New Road yesterday. more...
GRAEME Hick is back on the international stage after a call-up to face New Zealand. more...
Saturday, January 15, 2005 more...
WORCESTERSHIRE start the week looking forward to the opening, third round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy and a home tie in more ways than one. more...
THE North-east is a wonderful hot-bed of sporting passion and this year, 11 years after their first season as a first-class county, Durham host their first Test match. more...
THE Benson and Hedges Cup is no more; high summer will bring us its replacement, the Twenty20 Cup, while soggy Spring brings us the fourth round of the remaining and premier knockout competition, the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. more...
THE three home wins last week certainly put a healthier perspective on Worcestershire's year so far. more...
THIS week is topped and tailed by matches with Leicestershire, starting with tomorrow's vital C&G quarter-final. One of only two counties not to have been relegated from either of the first divisions since their inception, this year is proving a struggle for the Foxes. more...
IN my pre-season review, referring to the change of captaincy, I suggested that Ben Smith's `form is unlikely to be disturbed by decision making and team form'. more...
THE sun has shone on the ECB's new baby and Twenty20 cricket has had a glorious birth. more...
IT must feel like the holiday is over and term has started again. more...
GRASS court tennis and cricketers' testimonials - two peculiarities of an English sporting summer both of which endure for very different reasons. more...
DERBYSHIRE'S visit to New Road this week highlights the perennial issue of pitches. more...
Saturday, January 15, 2005 more...
To misquote Dickens, they are the best of times they are the worst of times -- semi-finals. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE go to Hampshire this week looking to secure the promotion which, way back in April, I suggested would be the ultimate measure of the side's success. more...
I'VE never been back in the classroom before the last Test match has started nor with the County having 15 days of cricket still to play. more...
All the latest news for the 2005 season. more...
STEVE Kirby returned career-best figures of three for 27 to leave Worcestershire deep in relegation trouble as Yorkshire clinched a three-wicket victory in the National League Division One clash at Scarborough. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' dress rehearsal for Saturday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy final ended in a disappointing four-wicket defeat against Gloucestershire Gladiators in yesterday's National League Division One clash at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals look to be heading for relegation from the National League Division One following last night's two wicket defeat under the Duckworth/Lewis method against Essex Eagles at Colchester. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals will be playing in the second division of the National League next season after losing by seven wickets to fellow strugglers Yorkshire Phoenix at New Road yesterday. more...
RELEGATED Worcestershire Royals suffered their sixth successive National League defeat when they went down by 18 runs to Warwickshire Bears under the Duckworth-Lewis method at Edgbaston last night. more...
NANTIE Hayward and Gareth Batty took four wickets each as Worcestershire stepped up their bid to become champions of the Frizzell County Championship division two yesterday. more...
QUESTION: What do Surrey Lions, Worcestershire Cricket Board and Zimbabwe have in common? more...
LEADING by example - that's Worcestershire's new captain Ben Smith. more...
MATT Mason has one main mission this season - and that's to play a major role in Worcestershire's bid to clinch promotion to the top flight in the Frizzell County Championship. more...
VICE-captain Steve Rhodes says Worcestershire intend to `take no prisoners' when they do battle with holders Yorkshire in Wednesday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy fourth round clash at New Road (10.45am). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S Gareth Batty admits to being a `dreamer' - but he's very much a realist when it comes talking about England recognition. more...
LIKE or loathe the idea, Twenty20 Cup cricket bursts onto the scene at New Road later this week. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE paceman Kabir Ali has dreamed about playing for England since his was a child - and now it's coming true! more...
NEW Road is bracing itself for another explosive bombardment of sixes and fours tomorrow when Worcestershire Royals complete their group campaign in the Twenty20 Cup with a clash against Somerset Sabres (5.30pm). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S long-serving Steve Rho-des is working hard on a new career in cricket at the age of 39. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE opener Anurag Singh has set out a challenging agenda for the rest of the season -- for himself and the team. more...
STUART Watkiss is lining up a new signing later this week after admitting Kidderminster Harriers are staring at relegation from Coca-Cola League Two. more...
FOUR wickets from pace bowler Matt Mason and a half-century from Graeme Hick eased Worcestershire to a 35-run victory over Gloucestershire under the Duckworth/Lewis method at Bristol. more...
RELIEVED Surrey Lions overcame a tremendous fightback by Worcestershire Royals to clinch a tense one-wicket win in yesterday's National League Division One match at New Road. more...
A CENTURY by Graeme Hick was backed up with a fine bowling display from David Leatherdale to help Worcestershire Royals shoot down Kent Spitfires by 139 runs in yesterday's National League division one match at New Road. more...
REIGNING champions Glamorgan made it five wins out of five in the National League First Division with a 31-run victory over Worcestershire at St Helens, Swansea. more...
A FOUR-wicket haul by David Leatherdale failed to save depleted Worcestershire Royals from a two wicket defeat against Lei-cestershire Foxes in yesterday's National League division one clash at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals are in danger of facing a relegation battle after a disappointing eight-wicket defeat against Warwickshire Bears in yesterday's National Lea-gue division one clash at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE slumped deeper into relegation trouble when they lost by 76 runs to Leicestershire Foxes in the National League Division One at Oakham School. more...
A SUPERB spell of 4-23 from Kabir Ali gave Worcestershire a crushing 79-run victory against National League Division One leaders Surrey at Guildford. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE hoisted themselves out of the National League Division One relegation zone thanks to a thril-ling three-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system against title-chasing Glamorgan Dragons at rain-hit New Road last night. more...
TABLE-topping Worcestershire overcame a rousing last wicket partnership between Robert Croft and David Harrison to clinch a 14-run win over Glamorgan at sun-scorched New Road yesterday. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals slipped deeper into National League Division One relegation trouble with an eight-wicket defeat against Kent Spitfires at Canterbury last night. more...
STEVE Kirby returned career-best figures of three for 27 to leave Worcestershire deep in relegation trouble as Yorkshire clinched a three-wicket victory in the National League Division One clash at Scarborough. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' dress rehearsal for Saturday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy final ended in a disappointing four-wicket defeat against Gloucestershire Gladiators in yesterday's National League Division One clash at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals look to be heading for relegation from the National League Division One following last night's two wicket defeat under the Duckworth/Lewis method against Essex Eagles at Colchester. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals will be playing in the second division of the National League next season after losing by seven wickets to fellow strugglers Yorkshire Phoenix at New Road yesterday. more...
RELEGATED Worcestershire Royals suffered their sixth successive National League defeat when they went down by 18 runs to Warwickshire Bears under the Duckworth-Lewis method at Edgbaston last night. more...
NANTIE Hayward and Gareth Batty took four wickets each as Worcestershire stepped up their bid to become champions of the Frizzell County Championship division two yesterday. more...
JOHN Brain has admitted his surprise at Steve Sparks' Scotland call-up. more...
WORCESTER Wanderers delivered a sparkling display to beat fellow Powergen Junior Vase hopefuls Avonmouth Old Boys 13-8 to reach the quarter-finals. more...
All the latest news for the 2005 season with Mark Dobson. more...
GRAEME Hick's outstanding start to the season for Worcestershire has earned him the inaugural ZMB Developments Player of the Month Award for April/May. more...
CENTURIES by Stephen Peters and Vikram Solanki have put Worcestershire in a healthy position in their Frizzell County Championship Division One match against high-riding Kent at New Road. more...
WHAT Vikram Solanki did for Worcestershire was matched by Andrew Symonds for Kent in the high-scoring Division One match in the Frizzell County Championship at New Road. more...
STEPHEN Peters spoke of a motivational force at New Road after becoming the first Worcestershire batsman in five years to make two centuries in a match. more...
A THIRD successive win in the Totesport League is Worcestershire's target when Yorkshire visit New Road tomorrow for a Division Two promotion clash. more...
Worcestershire were looking down the barrel in today's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy quarter-final at New Road. more...
DIRECTOR of cricket Tom Moody has heaped praise on his Worcestershire players for the character they showed in yesterday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy quarter-final victory over Essex at New Road. more...
TOM Moody believes Worcestershire's Cheltenham & Gloucester semi-final at Edgbaston has the potential to be a classic. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE today an-nounced ticket arrangements for their Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy semi-final showdown ag-ainst Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Saturday, July 17 (10.45am). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE go into the second day of their Frizzell County Championship Division One clash at Lord's knowing an early breakthrough is vital. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S Stephen Moore and Graeme Hick resisted the efforts of the Middlesex bowling attack as they looked to force a Frizzell County Championship victory at Lord's. more...
TOM Moody is warning his Worcestershire troops that they will need to be at their best to stand any chance of beating Surrey in the Frizzell County Championship division one match which starts at New Road tomorrow. more...
RAIN prevented a prompt start to Worcestershire Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Surrey at New Road today. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE quickly took two wickets in a brief burst of action during the rain-ravaged opening day of their Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Surrey at New Road. more...
STEPHEN Peters and Stephen Moore have put Worcestershire in a powerful position in their Frizzell Championship Division One match against Surrey at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are on the brink of victory in their Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Surrey at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' Twenty20 Cup match against Gloucestershire Gladiators at New Road on Friday is a sell-out more...
MORE than 2,000 spectators turned up at New Road last night to support director of cricket Tom Moody's Twenty20 Testimonial match between Worcestershire and a World Xl. more...
VIKRAM Solanki is set to overcome a slight back strain to play for Worcestershire Royals in tomorrow's totesport League Division Two match with bottom-of-the-table Scotland at the Grange Cricket Club in Edinburgh. more...
ANDREW Hall is available to play for Worcestershire for the rest of the season. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' skipper Ben Smith has issued a rallying call to his troops as they prepare to open their Twenty20 Cup campaign against Gloucestershire Gladiators at New Road this evening (5.30pm). more...
WORCESTER Royals return to Twenty20 Cup action this evening when they take on Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Luton (5.30pm). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S long-serving all-rounder David Leatherdale is to hold talks with the county about extending a career which has already spanned 17 seasons. more...
STEVEN Davies will make his first team debut for Worcestershire in their limited-over match against Sri Lanka `A' at New Road tomorrow (10.45am). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE made a wat-chful start after being put in to bat by Sri Lanka `A' in today's limited over match at New Road. more...
A FINE 91 from Wor-cestershire opener Stephen Moore fail-ed to prevent Sri Lanka `A' from breezing to a six-wicket win at wind-swept New Road yesterday. more...
BROMYARD Town dominated throughout with a good solid display to beat Pelsall Villa 4-1 in the West Midlands League Premier Division. more...
MALVERN Town played below par but moved up to fourth in the Travel Factory Alliance with a 3-1 win over struggling Causeway United. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals' master batsman Graeme Hick is aiming to put Warwickshire Bears to the sword this evening when they clash in the Twenty20 Cup at Edgbaston (5.30pm). more...
MALVERN edged their way into the North Midlands Cup semi-final with an 18-16 victory against University College Worcester at Spring Lane. more...
ANDY Bichel maintained Worcestershire's unbeaten start in the Twenty20 Cup with an unbeaten 45 from 26 balls in a thrilling three-wicket win against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. more...
WORCESTER Wanderers delivered a sparkling display to beat fellow Powergen Junior Vase hopefuls Avonmouth Old Boys 13-8 to reach the quarter-finals. more...
THERE are just 800 public tickets left for Worcestershire Royals' Twenty20 Cup group match against Glamorgan Dragons, on Thursday, at New Road (5.30pm). more...
WORCESTER Wolves tamed the Kingston Wildcats with a 95-89 victory. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals can take a massive step towards securing a home Twenty20 Cup quarter-final spot if they beat Somerset Sabres in this evening's group match at Taunton (5.30pm). more...
STUART Watkiss is lining up a new signing later this week after admitting Kidderminster Harriers are staring at relegation from Coca-Cola League Two. more...
Key man Hall opts for fresh winter challenge more...
JOHN Brain has admitted his surprise at Steve Sparks' Scotland call-up. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE aim to bounce back from two successive Twenty20 Cup defeats by beating Warwickshire in tomorrow's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy semi-final clash at Edgbaston (10.15am). more...
HIGH-FLYING Nuneaton Borough come face-to-face with Worcester City tonight (7.45pm) and John Barton's side will be looking to put the record straight. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE will be putting Saturday's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy semi-final win over Warwickshire on the back- burner when they go in search of more glory today. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE have been allocated 4,000 tickets for their Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy final against Gloucestershire at Lord's on August 28. more...
TOM Moody admitted his Worcestershire side "failed to deliver" in last night's Twenty20 defeat at Surrey. more...
AN UNBEATEN century from Graeme Hick helped Worcestershire Royals maintain their promotion push with a 70-run victory over table-topping Middlesex Crusaders in last night's floodlit totesport League Division Two clash at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE skipper Ben Smith is having intensive treatment on a knee injury which has forced him to miss the last two matches. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are in danger of facing a first innings deficit after a fine century by Middlesex's Ben Hutton in the Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are in danger of facing a first innings deficit after a fine century by Middlesex's Ben Hutton in the Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at New Road. more...
TOM Moody is urging Worcestershire to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Middlesex when they take on high-riding Gloucestershire in a Frizzell County Championship Division One match at Cheltenham tomorrow (11am). more...
PACEMAN Matt Mason soon ripped out Craig Spearman and Mike Hussey after Gloucestershire had won the toss and decided to bat in the Frizzell Championship Division One match against Worcestershire at Cheltenham today. more...
KADEER Ali blasted a double century on the first day of Worcestershire's Second XI Championship clash against Somerset. more...
CHRIS Taylor scored his third and most important century of the summer as he rescued Gloucestershire at the Cheltenham Festival. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are facing their first champion-ship defeat against neighbours Gloucestershire for nine years after the embarrassment of failing to save the follow-on at Cheltenham. more...
ANDY Bichel no longer has his Cricket Australia contract as Test or one-day international cricketer but David Boon refuses to rule him out of contention for a recall. more...
KABIR Ali's burst of 4-33 set up a dramatic final-day victory chance for Worcestershire at Cheltenham. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals will be bidding to step up their totesport League Division Two promotion push tomorrow when they take on lowly Derbyshire Scorpions at New Road (1pm). more...
WORCESTERSHIRE left out Andy Bichel for their Frizzell County Championship Division One match which opened at Surrey today. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Academy prospect David Wheeldon has been called up to the England Under 15 cricket squad. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are facing an uphill battle as relegation-haunted Surrey made an impressive start to the Frizzell County Championship Division One match at the Oval. more...
TWO quick wickets today wrapped up Worcestershire's first innings for 295 runs at Surrey in Frizzell County Championship Division One. more...
MARK Ramprakash and Jimmy Ormond combined to put relegation-threatened Surrey on the brink of a much-needed Frizzell County Championship Division One win against Worcestershire. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE have agreed with David Leatherdale to extend his one-day contract for a further season in 2005. more...
ENGLAND have recalled Worcestershire trio Kabir Ali, Gareth Batty and Vikram Solanki to the 14-man squad for next month's NatWest Challenge and ICC Champions Trophy campaigns. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE Royals have included Andy Bichel in their squad for tomorrow's totesport League Division Two match at Durham Dynamos. more...
GARETH Batty will meet up with the England squad later today determined to prove to the selectors that he can form a useful spin pairing with in-form Ashley Giles for the third npower Test against West Indies. more...
MARK Harrity's career with Worcestershire is over. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S long-serving stars Graeme Hick and Steve Rhodes aim to carry on re-writing the record books during the 2004 season. more...
SPECULATION was mounting today that Worcestershire are making moves to sign Zimbabwean slow left arm spinner Ray Price. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S Tom Moody will have very little spare time on his hands this season. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE are through to the final of the Second Eleven Trophy. more...
QUESTION: What do New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Herefordshire have in common? more...
WORCESTERSHIRE have signed Zimbabwean slow left-arm spinner Ray Price. more...
MARK Newton admits the return of Australian pace star Andy Bichel has added to the `buzz' that has surrounded Worcestershire's build-up to the new season. more...
ANDY Bichel spearheaded a Worcestershire fightback in their Frizzell Championship Division One match against bottom-of-the-table Northamptonshire at New Road. more...
THE Worcester Evening News and Worcestershire County Cricket Club have combined efforts to provide internet users with the best and most up-to-date news and information on the cricket club. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE players are rallying behind Ben Smith following his shock decision to quit as New Road captain, said Director of Cricket Tom Moody today. more...
BY TIM CURTIS more...
ANDY Bichel hit a career-best 142 to put Worcestershire in a strong position in their Frizzell County Championship Division One match against Northamptonshire at New Road. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE'S players have given the thumbs up to the club's new £700,000 Basil D'Oli-veira Stand. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE have made two close season signings -- but one certainly doesn't need any introduction to the New Road faithful. more...
RAY Price is included in Worcestershire Royals' squad for tomorrow's totesport League Division Two clash against leaders Middlesex Crusaders at Lord's. more...
WORCESTERSHIRE expect to know the extent of Kabir Ali's injury later today. more...
WE'RE in it to win it! That's Tom Moody's optimistic view on Worcestershire's first season in the top flight. more...
STEVE Rhodes is to captain Worcester-shire for the rest of the season. more...
PACEMAN Kabir Ali is in danger of missing Worcestershire's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy final against Gloucestershire at Lord's on Saturday, August 28. more...